Are We Saved by Grace or Decision?

[Josiah]

This video is 14 minutes long (too long for some, I realize) but you can skip the first 2.19 minutes - stuff before he gets to the topic.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRbIX4EH40Y



Discuss....



- Josiah

 

[Cassia]

When Jesus reveals Himself and the sinner within a human not all will accept the verdict. Accepting the verdict that no good thing dwells within will open the door to grace. One needs to accept the savior's saving grace

 

[Tigger]

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by :cheer: grace:cheer: you haved been saved through faith, and 'not' of yourselves; it is the 'gift' of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

[Cassia]

Would that be a promise with a condition?

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, Repent and each one of you be baptized upon the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

[MoreCoffee]

The holy scripture says "you are save by grace ..." I don't know of any passage in the holy scriptures that says "you are saved by making a decision ..."

 

[Brighten04]

Repentance is necessary for salvation according to scripture. I think our Father gives grace for repentance though.Grace is a gift, and like all gifts, it has to be received by the recipient.

 

[Rens]

Saved by grace to make a decision lol.

 

[Lamb]

Receiving salvation is like the rain falling on your head. You can't decide for it to happen. God does the work.

We are saved by grace THROUGH faith and faith is a gift from God. We can't decide whether Jesus died on the cross or not for the forgiveness of our sins. It happened. Our faith grasps onto Him because that's what saving faith does, but we can't decide to have faith.

John 15:16 says that it is not our decision.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Almost every Christian who enters heaven made a choice to follow Jesus.

 

[Lamb]

Almost every Christian who enters heaven made a choice to follow Jesus.

What do you mean by follow then? Following Jesus isn't what gets us to heaven. Jesus' sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins is what saves us. We can't do anything to save ourselves. God is the Savior.

 

[Brighten04]

Most people I know repented of their sin and were saved. Jesus does not go against our will. IOW if a person does not want to be saved, He usually waits until they say yes.The only person in scripture that was violently accosted was Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road.We have a part to play.Otherwise the question can be asked, why isn't everyone saved? Everyone is not saved because though the gift has been given but not everyone believes and receive Him. Lord Jesus is the Savior true but many reject Him.

 

[Tigger]

Grace is the catalyst, repentance is the result.

 

[Lamb]

Most people I know repented of their sin and were saved. Jesus does not go against our will. IOW if a person does not want to be saved, He usually waits until they say yes.The only person in scripture that was violently accosted was Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road.We have a part to play.Otherwise the question can be asked, why isn't everyone saved? Everyone is not saved because though the gift has been given but not everyone believes and receive Him. Lord Jesus is the Savior true but many reject Him.

Repentance is a gift, it's the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

We do not know why everyone isn't saved but we do know from scriptures that men do reject God and that brings on our damnation.

I base my theology on what I know...we are adopted sons and daughters...we can't choose to be adopted. Even being born again (born from above), we can't choose that. We can't choose to be in the Father's will.

If you feel you have to play a part in your salvation, what is the percentage then? What is the percentage of Jesus being your Savior and you doing the rest to save yourself?

 

[Josiah]

The holy scripture says "you are save by grace ..." I don't know of any passage in the holy scriptures that says "you are saved by making a decision ..."

Agreed. And "grace" here means GOD's favor, blessing, gift.....


Ephesians 2:8-9
John 15:16

And of course, if justification "hinges" entirely on something WE do, OUR work and accomplishment (making a decision), then the Savior is us. That would mean that Jesus may make salvation POSSIBLE but it's the one self sees in the mirror that actually caused it, brought it about, saved... and self who pats self on the back.



Soli DEO Gloria.....



- Josiah



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[Josiah]

Most people I know repented of their sin and were saved. Jesus does not go against our will. IOW if a person does not want to be saved, He usually waits until they say yes.The only person in scripture that was violently accosted was Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road.We have a part to play.Otherwise the question can be asked, why isn't everyone saved? Everyone is not saved because though the gift has been given but not everyone believes and receive Him. Lord Jesus is the Savior true but many reject Him.

A comment, if I may....


It's important to remember than in BOTH koine Greek and modern English, the word "and" (kai) in NO WAY WHATSOEVER mandates (or even implies) chronological order.
The word is simply and only a connector. I am right to say, "My wife and I went to church and to our favorite restaurant yesterday" but we didn't do them in that order.


"Repent" means to recognize our wrong.... confess it...... turn to Christ for forgiveness.... walk in the right path. To repent mandates that we believe/trust in Christ (or at min,., to God's MERCY). A non-believer doesn't repent in the biblical sense; they may feel a psychological remorse but that's not REPENT. Even the worse atheist can feel remorse... doesn't have anything to do with they thus being saved or even thus removing God's impotence to work in them.


There are many verses where repentance (THE LAW) and faith (THE GOSPEL) are shown to be connected. But this does not mandate any chronological sequence, it simply means that BOTH Law and Gospel are used by God as He saves. If OUR feeling remorse is what saves, then 1) our own feeling is the Savior, not Jesus and 2) All atheists and Buddhist and Muslims and especially Jews are saved since they all feel remorse. Heck, my dog was not infrequently sorry!



- Josiah



.

 

[Cassia]

Laamchen said the the key is the pardon not the acceptance, but if one does not accept the pardon, whether the governor has extended it or not, if not accepted then one still remains in prison.

 

[Lamb]

Laamchen said the the key is the pardon not the acceptance, but if one does not accept the pardon, whether the governor has extended it or not, if not accepted then one still remains in prison.

Remaining in prison IS A CHOICE. Acknowledging that the pardon is true is NOT a choice because it's already true!

 

[Josiah]

Remaining in prison IS A CHOICE. Acknowledging that the pardon is true is NOT a choice because it's already true!

I believe that God GAVE me physical/biological life. He used certain means (ask your physician if you don't know these) but it's still GOD who did it, who GAVE it to me. GRACE. I didn't earn it, I didn't deserve it, I didn't achieve it, I didn't help it, I didn't even request it. GOD is the Creator, the Life-GIVER. Grace.

In the same way, God GAVE me spiritual life, justification. He used certain means but it's still GOD who did it, who GAVE it to me. GRACE. I didn't earn it, I didn't deserve it, I didn't achieve it, I didn't help it, I didn't even request it. GOD is the Savior. God is the Life-Giver. GRACE. Ephesians 2:8-9, John 15:16, etc.


Soli DEO Gloria!



- Josiah

t's important to remember than in BOTH koine Greek and modern English, the word "and" (kai) in NO WAY WHATSOEVER mandates (or even implies) chronological order.
The word is simply and only a connector. I am right to say, "My wife and I went to church and to our favorite restaurant yesterday" but we didn't do them in that order.


"Repent" means to recognize our wrong.... confess it...... turn to Christ for forgiveness.... walk in the right path. To repent mandates that we believe/trust in Christ (or at min., to God's MERCY). A non-believer doesn't repent in the biblical sense; they may feel a psychological remorse but that's not REPENT. Even the worse atheist can feel remorse... doesn't have anything to do with they thus being saved or even thus removing God's impotence to work in them.


There are many verses where repentance (THE LAW) and faith (THE GOSPEL) are shown to be connected. But this does not mandate any chronological sequence, it simply means that BOTH Law and Gospel are used by God as He saves. If OUR feeling remorse is what saves, then 1) our own feeling is the Savior, not Jesus and 2) All atheists and Buddhist and Muslims and especially Jews are saved since they all feel remorse. Heck, my dog was not infrequently sorry!



- Josiah

.

 

[Lamb]

I believe that God GAVE me physical/biological life. He used certain means (ask your physician if you don't know these) but it's still GOD who did it, who GAVE it to me. GRACE. I didn't earn it, I didn't deserve it, I didn't achieve it, I didn't help it, I didn't even request it. GOD is the Creator, the Life-GIVER. Grace.

In the same way, God GAVE me spiritual life, justification. He used certain means but it's still GOD who did it, who GAVE it to me. GRACE. I didn't earn it, I didn't deserve it, I didn't achieve it, I didn't help it, I didn't even request it. GOD is the Savior. God is the Life-Giver. GRACE. Ephesians 2:8-9, John 15:16, etc.


Soli DEO Gloria!



- Josiah.

I wish I could Rep this more than once because it's so accurate. God gives life Our response is just that. Response. Not life giving.

 

[Cassia]

Remaining in prison IS A CHOICE. Acknowledging that the pardon is true is NOT a choice because it's already true!

I would think the subject would be the prisoner acceptance of the pardon not that the governor had granted it. We nave the choice to remain in prison or not after hearing of the pardon.